THE Tyneside-based Northern Universities Student Club Community Cricketers Elite are to host two charity cricket festivals for the Army Benevolent Fund in 2010.

The first is this month’s annual Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Indoor Super Sixes Championship involving local clubs and student cricket teams from Northumberland to Yorkshire .

The second is to be a unique Salute our Heroes Cricket Festival in Richmondshire, to be held over four days beginning on July 19.

It will include a coloured-clothing Twenty20 challenge torunament.

The Army is entering its full Cricket Association first XI in the festival thanks to the sponsorship of EDF Energy.

NUSC Director of Cricket John Holland said: “After meeting Major Eric Ingram (chairman of the North East, ABF), we were shocked at the lack of sporting teams supporting the ABF charity which does such tremendous work for all soldiers past and present.

“NUSC prides itself on trying to make a difference with its cricket festivals, and so the idea of hosting one in Richmondshire – a town with special links to the Army – was born.”

The festival has clinched sponsorship from Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, while Richmondshire CC chairman Geoff Thorpe has pledged his club’s ground as a venue. Karl Brown is co-ordinating the Northern Police XI for the Twenty20 day and further sponsorship is coming from Northumbrian Water, Ellwoods, Chris Williams Embroidery and Kookaburra-Reader.

Perhaps the biggest support, however, has come from Colonel Peter Sharland, secretary of the Army Cricket Association, who is sending his full first XI to participate.

He said: “It is a great honour for the Army cricket team to be invited to play in the North East which has such a special relationship with the Armed Forces, for such a worthy cause.” NUSC will also be wearing the ABF logo throughout their 2010 programme and have written to every side to ask for their support of the charity during their festival tours to the North East.